Jacksonville Sheriff's race 2015

[Jax native]

Diane,  Thanks again for providing this information all in one place.  personally, Ken Jefferson would be the only candidate I feel i would vote for.  Anyone still with JSO or working under John Rutherford the past ten years, should not be a consideration because of the troubling actions of JSO last 10 years.  I don't want more of the same for Sheriff, Mayor, or State Attorney.  My thoughts only, guys. 

[Cheshire Cat]

You are welcome Jax Native. 

Here is the response I received from the Lonnie McDonald campaign on body cameras and make up of the force.


Dear Ms. Melendez,

Thank you for contacting the campaign. We appreciate your interest in the upcoming election. Within the next few weeks, The Florida Times-Union will be publishing answers to an Editorial Board Questionnaire from each of the candidates running for Jacksonville Sheriff.

In regard to your questions, Lonnie supports the use of body cameras for officers. Having the best trained and best equipped officers means having a modern police force that keeps up with technology. Body cameras are the future of law enforcement and provide a win-win situation for everyone. They help build public trust by providing transparency and can be used to document criminal complaints. Lonnie also believes that our police force should reflect our community.

We hope that you will review Lonnie’s detailed responses to the questionnaire in the newspaper, and research each of the candidates and their qualifications. To learn more about Lonnie’s campaign and his extensive experience in law enforcement at home and abroad, please visit the campaign website at www.yourjaxsheriff.com.

Best regards,

Cathleen Murphy
Communications Director
904.254.9902

[Cheshire Cat]

The Northeast Florida builders have weighed in with their endorsement for sheriff which is candidate Mike Williams.  Of course endorsements are always something a candidate looks for but in this race I do believe it will take the endorsement via the voters actual votes to win this race.  Mike is a great candidate for Sheriff but there are some others that are equally qualified who have solid bases and funding behind them.  There is a single candidate to my view that can be dismissed because of lack of experience and that is Tony Cummings with a minimum of time on the force. Cummings seems to have decided to campaign against the other Democrat in the race in spite of it being a "unitary" election.  That candidate is Ken Jefferson whose experience and name recognition exceeds any that Cumming might have.  The candidates to watch are Mike Williams,Jay Farhat, Jimmy Holderfield and Ken Jefferson who are running extremely effective campaigns.  Schooner and Lonnie McDonald are also qualified candidates who have not yet seemed to get traction with a broad group of voters.  Cummings just does not have the needed background to take this office.  In the end I am totally sure that the City of Jacksonville will end up with a very good and qualified Sheriff considering the candidates on the ballot.

[Cheshire Cat]

This is the detailed response I received from Mike Williams regarding personal video cameras on officers and whether or not he though the current JSO was reflective of the community it represents. 

Good afternoon Diane.

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of such important issues facing law enforcement agencies today.

 

Question #1 - BODY CAMERA FOR POLICE

There are issues to be addressed in a substantive discussion about law enforcement officers outfitted with body cams, especially as we enter into the legislative session with this on the agenda.

Logistics/Cost: There is a tremendous cost involved in outfitting every officer on the street with a body camera.
Implementation: Rule writing and training. Will the policy allow for the officer to turn it off? What about during his or her breaks? What about storage of the tapes and access for review and release of that record?
Privacy: We must explore the “chilling effect” of people who will no longer want to report crime or call an officer into their home at their most vulnerable and volatile times, because that information would become public. Florida law does not protect witnesses now.
Effectiveness: The scope of the lens will not capture those exchanges or actions outside its range – anything the officer isn’t looking at or outside the lens coverage is not captured on film.
Logistics, cost, implementation, saving videos, privacy for victims and witnesses… I believe this is a conversation we should have with our community to determine how they perceive the technology, and if desired, how they propose it be paid for, and how it may possibly affect their privacy rights. It should be noted that fewer than 1% of the interaction caught on camera is actual use of force according to force science experts.

 

QUESTION #2 - RACIAL MAKE UP OF THE AGENCY

The agency, overall, while ABOVE the national average of minority representation in almost all races and ethnicities can always do better. As Sheriff, I will continue to strive for recruiting in a laser-targeted manner, so we are attracting those from all races who represent the best and brightest.

 

The election is March 24th and every voter matters in the effort to put the most qualified leaders in office. I would appreciate your support and your vote.

 

Sincerely,

Mike

 

Mike Williams for Sheriff

(904) 235-9863

mikewilliamsforsheriff.com

 

[Bill Hoff]

Jay Farhat has my vote. Not part of the brass, and still getting a ton of support. Great with urban core issues as well.

[Jax native]

Diane,  (or others reading this)

I am valuing your opinions on the candidates for city council, mayor, and city council because of my previous knowledge &  research, I agree with almost all of your endorsements......Can you tell me which candidate for sheriff is willing to let go of the John Rutherford regime and take sheriffs office into a new phase of transparency, cameras. and up to 2015 standards....Not Ferguson, MO standards but standards so citizens feel safe with JSO.  Many citizens, with very good reasons are scared of what JSO does and has done to them.  Many people are uncomfortable with the John Rutherford style of military policing neighborhoods. 

Thanks in advance.

[Cheshire Cat]

Diane,  (or others reading this)

I am valuing your opinions on the candidates for city council, mayor, and city council because of my previous knowledge &  research, I agree with almost all of your endorsements......Can you tell me which candidate for sheriff is willing to let go of the John Rutherford regime and take sheriffs office into a new phase of transparency, cameras. and up to 2015 standards....Not Ferguson, MO standards but standards so citizens feel safe with JSO.  Many citizens, with very good reasons are scared of what JSO does and has done to them.  Many people are uncomfortable with the John Rutherford style of military policing neighborhoods. 

Thanks in advance.

Jax Native, thank you for your candid words and question.  The race for Sheriff in Jacksonville is turning out to be one of the most positively aggressively  fought races in Jacksonville history.  There are several well qualified candidates running all of whom I believe will be of great service to Jacksonville.  The candidates to watch which I mentioned in a previous post all have solid campaign funding as well as dedicated supporters.  In full disclosure I should tell you that Sheriff Rutherford is a friend of mine who I respect and who appointed me to a criminal justice committee he sponsored.  I have personally found him to be a man of integrity and a no nonsense type of leader.  I fully appreciate that others may see him differently based upon their own views.  What may help you with your decision is that the candidate that Sheriff Rutherford has endorsed is Mike Williams who describes himself as a "cops cop" and a "budget hawk". I would imagine that the Sheriffs endorsement means he agrees with Mike Williams ideas about JSO leadership. Mike is certainly a man of character and one bringing solid capabilities along with his bid for the office of Sheriff. He is liked and supported by folks in and out of the JSO many of whom I respect. He is not the only one however that is well equipped to do a fine job in the office of Sheriff and who has the support of other very fine folks also in and out of the JSO.  I do know that there was a bit of a fluff up at the FOP when Williams was announced as the candidate they supported.  Some claimed that there was not a series of proper hearings or votes taken before that happened.  I also know Ken Jefferson from some time back and feel that he is a sincere individual who understands the department and would serve the people justly.  Then your have Jay Farhat, well liked and supported and the same can be said for Jimmy Holderfield both running solid campaigns.  The other candidates are also with their strengths and I don't want to slight them with my words.  The only one I don't see as ready being Tony Cummings.  He just does not have the needed experience for the position and showed a weakness with an attack on Ken Jefferson over campaign signs which was silly. imo  If you were to ask me who is my choice for Sheriff at this juncture, I could not give you a definitive answer as I am truly torn in my decision at this point and continue to review the ideas and platforms of several.  I will say that I do feel that whomever our next Sheriff is will serve us well as there is not a single leading candidate that I am not comfortable with. 

[Jax native]

Thank you Diane for your candid and open thoughts.  While John Rutherford may in fact be a pleasant and respected man, I have seen JSO turn into a militia type of group that is close-minded, racist, misogynist, uninformed and careless with individuals Constitutional Rights.  personally, i'm looking for someone who does not have his endorsement, someone who would take a fresh look at the entire department and make changes.  JSO is very heavy on the top level, while patrol seems apathetic and unethical.   People like Bobby Deal are still sitting in offices making big bucks while crying for more officers on the street.

I want someone new to look at JSO and bring new and positive energy to this very important role.

Thanks for the feedback.  I would love for Ken Jefferson to be that person, but unsure if he has the momentum from the community after being away for so long. 

[Scarlettjax]

I've worked with, for or around all the individuals running for sheriff.  There are no truly new people running.  I don't think it would be a good idea in most cases to elect someone who doesn't at least have some knowledge about how an agency of this size operates, and the history and sklls of the personnel they will all have to use to keep it operating.  Clean sweeps usually end up in a year or two of chaos and cost as the leader from the outside tries to figure out who can really do what function well.  One of the reasons I believe term limits are not always the best way to go. 

I won't delve into the negative aspects of who has done what, or who may can accomplish what they promise, but there's always room for positive change.  Transparency is important, and from what I've heard, all of them are promising more of that. 

It's hard to paint the current department leadership as misognyist when the majority of his command staff at the director level are female; Rutherford has appointed more women to administrative command roles than any former sheriff.

I encourage everyone to attend any scheduled debates, and make up their own mind who is best for our community.  I do know, however, who I plan to vote for, and it's Mike Williams.  Despite his endorsements, he is man enough to make up his own mind and will encourage positivity and transparency as well as being a good steward of the taxpayer's money.

Whoever wins, they will have to draw together the division that has been created by so many people within the agency running.  There are good people supporting each candidate; some for their own dreams of promotion and others because of past relationships and inside knowledge of the personality and commitment of the candidates.  Research and look objectively at the qualifications and who you think would serve Jacksonville best.  Whatever you do, vote!

[Jax native]

Thank you Scarlett, for your honest thoughts.  I do understand there are many woman in top levels and at two i know are Directors, Wildes and Smith.  Both of these woman are professional and everything a JSO needs to be.  But, when you have Sgt.s, officers, directors and other older males call a woman; "sweetie" "hun"  "honey" when they are talking about a serious situation and do NOT know the woman on the phone, or in person, I am deeply insulted.  It's seems to be the go phrase for males in JSO to a woman, which is highly inappropriate.  I could give you some names and you would know them....but i won't.

I didn't phrase my statement correctly as I don't want a brand new person with no law enforcement or management experience.  I guess I am waiting for someone to just say...."JSO needs to do better..JSO need camara vests, JSO needs more transparency, and JSO will not be Angela Corey's lap dog or her bull dog for her personal vendettas.

I know...when hell freezes over. 

[Cheshire Cat]

I've worked with, for or around all the individuals running for sheriff.  There are no truly new people running.  I don't think it would be a good idea in most cases to elect someone who doesn't at least have some knowledge about how an agency of this size operates, and the history and sklls of the personnel they will all have to use to keep it operating.  Clean sweeps usually end up in a year or two of chaos and cost as the leader from the outside tries to figure out who can really do what function well.  One of the reasons I believe term limits are not always the best way to go. 

I won't delve into the negative aspects of who has done what, or who may can accomplish what they promise, but there's always room for positive change.  Transparency is important, and from what I've heard, all of them are promising more of that. 

It's hard to paint the current department leadership as misognyist when the majority of his command staff at the director level are female; Rutherford has appointed more women to administrative command roles than any former sheriff.

I encourage everyone to attend any scheduled debates, and make up their own mind who is best for our community.  I do know, however, who I plan to vote for, and it's Mike Williams.  Despite his endorsements, he is man enough to make up his own mind and will encourage positivity and transparency as well as being a good steward of the taxpayer's money.

Whoever wins, they will have to draw together the division that has been created by so many people within the agency running.  There are good people supporting each candidate; some for their own dreams of promotion and others because of past relationships and inside knowledge of the personality and commitment of the candidates.  Research and look objectively at the qualifications and who you think would serve Jacksonville best.  Whatever you do, vote!

Scarlett, thanks.  You just helped me decide.   

[Scarlettjax]

Jax native - we agree on what you said.  I hate that condescending tone from men in authority when I'm talking with them.  It does NOT make me feel any better about what's happening; especially when I wouldn't even BE talking with them unless there was something really important going on.

Some of it is cultural, a lot of men in the south just say that stuff without realizing how annoying it is to the woman.  However, there are those who do it on purpose.  Those guys I have no respect for and I just move on to someone who will listen without all the perjoritives. Like their supervisor, hopefully.

We also agree on the other issues you mentioned.  And I do believe there may be a least a breeze blowing through hell these days.

[Jax native]

Scarlett,  Thanks again for your intimate look inside the JSO.  I can truly appreciate you have seen much more good and worked w/ many great people during your time.  Thanks for your insight and chatting w/ me. 

[Edward]

Wait a minute. That sounded like a real answer. Doesn't he know that if he's going to be a successful politician, he's got to learn to either a.) coyly refuse to enter the debate to start with, or b.) provide a much more voluminous answer and say absolutely nothing. THAT'S how you get elected to office.
Good luck with your strategy of being forthright, brief, and honest.
Who knows, it might actually catch on with the mayoral candidates.
Nah.

[Cheshire Cat]

Corrine Brown has announced her support of Ken Jefferson for Sheriff.